EAST LIVERPOOL Boardman routs Potters

The Spartans took advantage of East Liverpool's mistakes to roll 56-0.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
EAST LIVERPOOL -- Seven fumbles, an interception and a bad pass from center in a punting situation combined to doom the East Liverpool High football team in Friday's game against Boardman.
Boardman, which is ranked seventh in this week's Division I Region I computer rankings, improved to 6-2 with a 56-0 romp over East Liverpool, the No. 6 team in this week's Associated Press poll of Ohio's Div. II schools.
The Potters, who are the No. 5 team in the Region 5 computer ratings, were in trouble immediately.
Boardman senior Mike Finamore took the opening kickoff 78 yards down the right sideline to the Potters 14 where he stumbled.
Five plays later, Spartans quarterback Tom Zetts threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Rich Lepore in the left corner of the end zone for the winning points.
Four TD passes: Zetts fired four touchdown passes to give him 14 on the season. On the night, he was 8-for-12 for 183 yards and he is over the 1,000-yard mark this year.
"Watching films throughout the week, we could see weaknesses in their defense and we capitalized on them," Zetts said.
"The biggest thing was their linebackers didn't blitz," Zetts said.
Lepore made five key tackles and two fumble recoveries in the first half.
"Tom Haynes and Mike Villagrana made the hits and I was fortunate to get on the football," Lepore said.
Finamore added two more touchdowns on a pair of sensational catches and runs with the ball.
Boardman had 19 first downs to nine for the Potters.
Wide margin: The Spartans offense gained 411 yards to East Liverpool's 108.
Of the 190 yards the Spartans gained on the ground, senior tailback Evan Beard ran 13 times for 80 yards. Brad Beck tacked on 12 carries for 84 yards.
Beck, who scored touchdowns on runs of 11 and 6 yards, said, "Our guards and tackles got people off the ball and made some big holes. Beard, Lepore and [Bill] Sosnosky also got people out of the holes and all I had to do is run to daylight."
Boardman safety Brian Weiser had an interception and seven solo tackles "We're starting to come together as a team defensively," Weiser said. "Our secondary is improving."